DistributionWatch Review: Linux-Mandrake 7.0

Perfection, Except for the Documentation

April 7, 2000

Linux-Mandrake comes this close to being the perfect Linux
distribution. It certainly is one of the easiest Linux packages to install and
configure: DrakX is state of the art when it comes to streamlined
installations, while DrakConfig is certainly an impressive tool for configuring
a Linux system on the fly. And Linux-Mandrake includes all of the latest and
greatest versions of everything, so anyone installing the shrink-wrap
version--as we did--won't need to spend a lot of time cruising the Web looking
to immediately upgrade.

So why aren't we jumping up and down, proclaiming that Linux-Mandrake 7.0 is
the best Linux distribution ever? For one reason: the poor quality of the
documentation in the shrink-wrap version. Much of what's great in
Linux-Mandrake 7.0 is simply undocumented or misdocumented, and the lack of
accurate documentation will only serve to deter the casual or beginning Linux
user, which in terms of marketing seems to be a prime audience for the product.
The omissions are actually startling; there are three tools specific to
Linux-Mandrake that are truly noteworthy (DrakX, DiskDrake, and DrakConfig),
and only one of them (DrakX) is discussed at length. In fact, there were so
many disparities between the documentation and the actual product that we
hesitate in recommending the product to pure newbies who really rely on
accurate documentation.

Despite the problems with the documentation, we would highly recommend
Linux-Mandrake 7.0 to an experienced Linux user who can eschew the
documentation and install on their own. Any Linux user who has done a few
installs of any Linux distribution will have no problem making their way around
Linux-Mandrake and will appreciate what a fine job MandrakeSoft has done in
pushing the state of the art in Linux distributions. (If you're in doubt, we
would highly recommend going to the MandrakeSoft Web site and checking out a
download for creating your own Linux-Mandrake installation CD. It's well worth
the time and serves as an excellent Linux tool.)

All in all, Linux-Mandrake 7.0 PowerPack comes with six CDs, a User Guide,
and an Install Guide. (One of the CDs contain a series of PDF-formatted books
covering GIMP, KDE, and other Linux topics. These books were good, as far as
they went, but they were generic.) The suggested retail price is $55 in the
United States and 55 Euros in Europe.